2.13.15

crier

munster high school

vol. 49/issue 9 Feb. 13, 2015 MHScrier.com

8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321 Upcoming

Saturday 21/0

n

No school Monday: Presidents’ Day

n

Turnabout Spirit Days: Tuesday: Wear green for mental health awareness

Sunday 12/4

Wednesday: Wear tie-dye for cancer awareness Thursday: Wear camouflage to support veterans

Monday 24/15

Friday: Wear red and white for awareness for heart disease and violence against women

Students discuss their passion for art page 6

Speech team prepares for Harvard National Invitational page 2

What if MHS became a charter school?

Weighing the options

Girls’ Swimming advances to state competition page 11

What does it take to become a charter school?

Charter schools and public schools differ in statistics; teachers give opinions on charter schools

“

I’ve never seen the data that proves to me (that) charter schools are better than public schools. As a product and as a teacher, I am a firm believer in the institution of public schools.”

� � �� ���� � �� � Munster High School traditional public school state rank: #10

�

�

national � rank: #899 total students: 1605 proficient in English: 94%

�

�

total students: 336 proficient in English: 100% proficient in algebra: 89% per pupil funding: $6,175.71

� �

proficient in algebra: 97%� � per pupil funding: $5,013.13

Signature School Evansville public charter school state rank: #1 national rank: #21

— Mr. Matthew Kalwasinski, psychology teacher

� ���� � ������� �� ��� ���� � �� �Herron High School

�

“

The state government should provide schools equal treatment under the law. I don’t see why public schools should shift because of bad policy when the obvious answer is to not have a bad policy.”

national rank: #246�

� 545 total students: �

proficient in English: 91% proficient in algebra: 68% per pupil funding: $5,767.68

��

� represents a charter school

“

If we were to flip to a charter, one thing that it would affect from a union standpoint would be the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for teachers. Because the charter would operate outside of the School Town schools, the teachers employed would not have the same CBA.​” — Mr. Ryan Ridgley, Munster Teachers’ Association president

Gov. Pence’s proposed budget may make becoming a charter schools a viable option Vrusha Patel Editor-in-chief

I

f the district does not receive

additional funding per pupil, reductions may be made to staff and program sponsors.

Converting a school within the district to a charter school may prove beneficial if Gov. Mike Pence’s proposed budget passes.

His proposal to provides charter schools with the same amount of funding as nearby public schools plus an additional $1,500 per pupil.

“If you were to do this right now with the current laws that are written, we wouldn’t get any more money,” Mr. Steven Tripenfeldas, Assistant Superintendent, said. “But if this new bill gets through, absolutely, it would help, but I’m not sure that bill is going to go through.”

Additionally, all charter schools must be backed by a four year, state-funded university or a financial backer.

— Mr. Keith Koszut, science teacher

Indianapolis public charter school

�state rank: #2

The state may convert public The school’s schools that Within a period governing receive a D or of 90 days, body must vote and F on the A-F 51 percent of and to convert the accountability parents must school to a grading sign a petition. charter school. system for two consecutive years.

At the Feb. 9 School Board meeting, many parents expressed concern about programs offered to their children. However, the decisions regarding the cuts to staff as well as programs remain unknown due to legislative session which may change the funding formula.

“I think there would need to be a lot of reassurance that things and programs would remain before people would support (a conversion to a charter school),” Mr. Tripenfeldas said.“Honestly, if we did that, (Munster High School) would look and feel like no different than it does right now.”

Charter schools provide an alternate education to low income families like the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology (HAST), according to Mr. Sean Egan, Superintendent and Principal of HAST.

“Parent’s who cannot afford private school options deserve as much choice as those who can,” Mr. Egan said. “We are nothing more than another option for parents who don’t have the luxury to move to Munster or to Crown Point or to Valparaiso in those districts.”

Although a large number of charter schools are in urban areas with failing public schools, charter schools such as the Discovery Charter School in Chesterton are opened in high performing districts to provide an alternative.

“For the most part, high performing districts try their best to keep their parents, their students and their staff very happy,” Mr. Egan said. “They are very proud of what they have, so why would you want to break off unless you are very dissatisfied with something.”

What is a charter school?

Charter school students are selected through a lottery system and charter schools must have waiting lists; public school students attend school based on where they live.

Charter school teachers are not required to have all teaching certifications that public school teachers must have.

Charter school teachers have freedom in deciding their curriculum; public school curriculum is dictated by the state.

In charter schools, administrative positions vary, but the board of directors is held responsible for the performance of the school. In public schools, every school district must have a school board and superintendent.

Charter school teachers are not usually hired from the union; public school teachers often belong to a teachers’ union.

Unlike public schools, charter schools are not required to provide daily transportation to students.

Financial backers of charter schools may require that they receive a percentage of charter schools’ funds. sources: Indiana code 20-24-11; Hammond Academy of Science and Technology Mr. Sean Egan; Joel Spring’s “American Education”; U.S. News and World Report; Indiana Department of Education; Mr. Steven Tripenfeldas, Assistant Superintendent

2 news

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Quick Notes 50th year plaque

Mr. John Friend recieves plaque of recognition for community service Mr. John Friend, School Board Secretary and Town Council Representative, will be honored for 50 years of “inspirational leadership, vision and integrity,” as the plaque states.

Family and friends presented this plaque to Mr. Friend at his surprise birthday party Jan. 25., and it will be hung outside the athletic office.

“I was very honored; I loved the event,” Mr. Friend said. “I received a lot of very nice cards, and I continue to read cards and greetings.”

Mr. Friend coached the school’s football team during its first 15 seasons and then continued working on the town’s Park and Recreation Board for 16 years.

Mr. Friend leaves recognition for school success to those involved now.

“I’m very proud of all the things in Munster, and I’m proud to have a small part in it,” Mr. Friend said.

“Now (my part) is strictly behind the scenes. Now it’s for all the students.

It’s been a great experience being associated with this high school and with this community.”

Hall of Fame

Mr. Robert Shinkan, math teacher, enters Baseball Hall of Fame Mr. Robert Shinkan, math teacher, was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Hall of Fame Jan. 23 for coaching since 1986 at the high school.

“I’m very proud of the Munster baseball program. I’m only the second coach to be inducted (from Munster baseball),” Mr. Shinkan said. “Coach Mike Niksic (a former Munster baseball coach) is a hall of fame member too, and I was honored enough to carry his baseball tradition. It’s a proud moment for me.”

Mr. Shinkan’s induction occurred at the IHSBCA’s baseball clinic in Indianapolis. In order to be inducted, Mr. Shinkan needed 70 percent of the votes from IHSBCA member coaches.

Mr. Shinkan plans to continue coaching at the high school, letting his award serve as a positive start to the upcoming baseball season.

“I just want to keep this baseball program rolling,” Mr. Shinkan said. “I think we have some great balance (of players and) great pitching. I’m really excited about this year.”

Corrections In issue eight of Crier, P.E. teacher Mr. Matthew Pavlovich’s name was misspelled and Coach Jim Davidson, Project Lead the Way teacher, was not identified correctly on page 11.

Also, “Preparing for Post Season” on page 10 should indicate that wrestlers wrestle for two 3-minute periods. In “Sweeping through the competition” senior Collin Sroge’s quote should have read “‘It’s a really hard sport overall,’ Sroge said. ‘But I enjoy it. It’s a fun sport, a great atmosphere.’” Additionally, on page 12, Athletic Trainer Mr. John Doherty’s quote should have read “It was easy to work here because of all the great coaches and athletes, and I am not talking about talent.” Crier regrets these errors.

Eyes on

the prize

Speech team travels to Harvard, Ben Davis meets, prepare for upcoming competitions Erin Gallagher Sports Editor The Speech team will travel to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. for the Harvard National Invitational on Feb. 12-16.

Munster’s travel team, mostly comprised of veteran members, was invited to attend the Harvard tournament, according to Mr. Jordan Mayer, Speech and Debate director.

“Harvard is the most competitive and largest tournament of the regular season,” Mr. Mayer said.

“Although the national tournaments may be slightly more prestigious, many believe Harvard is more competitive.”

Harvard looks at how the team compares to other elite speech teams, according to Vivian Reba, junior.

“Harvard is a big tournament for us because it’s a national invitational. We get to compete against people from all over the country, which helps us see how we will stack up against them at nationals,” Vivian said.

The critiques the team receives at Harvard will be crucial in improving their performances for future competitions, according to Vivian.

“We get a lot of critiques and exposure to different judges–they remember you, and that may pay off later, Plus, we always make a lot of friends,” Vivian said.

300 high schools from over 30 states will attend the Harvard competition, and competitors will get the opportunity to compete against over 400 opponents in the three day time span. “(Harvard) is wonderful preparation for our post-season as it builds confidence, promotes teamwork and offers valuable feedback,” Mr. Mayer said.

Mr. Mayer has high hopes for his team, as they have been practicing weekly in order to prepare for this competition.

“Last year we placed in the top ten and had several students advance to semi-finals,” Mr. Mayer said.

“The students have also been meeting with their coaches and working with each other for preparation.”

This year, the Speech team knows what they are getting themselves into, according to Vivian.

photo by Rachel Bishop

MAKING AN IMPRESSION Before Harvard, Vivian Reba, junior, practices her pieces. “I like drama because it really helps you to affect someone,” Vivian said. “If you can touch someone that’s the rewarding part of it.”

“Last year was our first year there, and I think that now that we know what the tournament’s like, we should hopefully do pretty well,” Vivian said. “But Speech is all so subjective that there’s really no telling how things will go.”

Seasoned debaters take on new events Debaters who did not advance to Nationals in original events try their hands in Congress as a second chance to make it to National competition Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor After competing at State in Kokomo Feb. 7, the Speech and Debate congress team looks back on its accomplishments of the season so far. The team feels prepared for Districts tomorrow, which will determine if they go to Nationals, due to their performance at State, according to Emily Wierman, junior.

“I think the team did the best they could amongst tough competition,” Emily said. “Every student was well prepared and put forth their best effort. But above all, the camaraderie that the debaters have with each other is what really keeps them dedicated and motivated.”

This branch of Debate allows students to debate certain bills in a simulated Congress meeting.

“Congress is a mock of a real Congress that also uses parliamentary procedure,” Mr. Michael Buck, congress coach said. “They introduce bills and debate whether they’re valid to pass. They are judged on their speaking ability, their connections, and deeper level thinking and analyzation.”

Congress hopes to advance their team by encouraging students from other events to participate, according to Mr. Buck.

“Congress has not been a large event, and the rest of the Debate coaches and I want more students to join,” Mr. Buck said. “It’s also a shorter season. We only practice in January and we compete in February.”

Some members joined congress because they did not qualify for Nationals in their original event or looked to gain more experience.

“I’ve been to national tournaments before, but I think it’s important to gain as much experience as I can so that I can help lead debate next year,” Lydia Zheng, junior, said.

Despite the few difficulties, Debate and extemporaneous speaking members who cross over to congress have an advantage, according to Mr. Buck.

“It’s easier for debate and extemp members because their skills carry over,” Mr. Buck said. “Like in (extemporaneous speaking), when they have to know current events, or in debates with cross-examinations.”

The members ultimately benefit from trying to score higher individually to help the team as a whole, according to Lydia.

“When you’re not only working for yourself, but also working for everyone else around you, I feel that it’s a general rule that you will do better,” Lydia said.

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

3 speakout

BACKTALK

Today is Friday the 13th; Crier asks, are you superstitious? If so, what do you believe in and why?

When the time comes, two roads will appear before you. One leads you down a desolate path of industrialization and money The other leads you to a simple life of joy. You can only travel on one. The question is, which will you choose? The money or your happiness?

“Last year a black cat walked by me on Friday the 13th. That kind of freaked me out, so I started being more careful in what I did.”

“I believe if you wear your shirt inside out, it’s good luck, but I think my mom just told me that because I do it a lot.”

Jeremiah Eaton, freshman

George Babus, freshman

Choosing the right path

The archetypical image of a workplace has become one characterized by gray, featureless cubicles and disheveled workers wearing drab suits. As the stacks of paperwork grow, the dissatisfaction of OUR TAKE the “paper pushers” responsible Students should for them increases proportionally. not select a This common perception of unprofession happy workers is further strengthbased solely on ened by a 2012 Gallup Poll survey financial stability that showed that a mere 30 percent of adults were engaged in the workplace.

But why are workers so disconnected?

After all, they chose their own careers, accepted the salaries they were offered, and agreed to the number of hours they would work each week.

According to a 2013 Forbes article, when presented with multiple options, people

overwhelmingly opt for “safe” jobs that allow them a steady, guaranteed income even though nearly all of them prefer the more interesting jobs that pay less.

These people, who choose financial security over work that challenges and interests them, reflect the ever-popular mentality that “reaching for the stars” is merely unrealistic idealism. Citing examples of failed pop star hopefuls and starving artists, they promote the mindset that dreams always result in failure.

However, the staggering number of American citizens who embody the frazzled, confined-by-a-cubicle employee show that worrying only about salary isn’t the best option.

Reaching for the stars may be risky, but facing the daily drudgery of an unfulfilling job is undoubtedly detrimental.

Stop in the name of love Elena Piech Web Editor Valentine’s Day: the time of year when couples remind each other of their affection. These reminders can include purchasing chocolates, eating a fancy dinner, and unfortunately, engaging in public displays of affection (PDA). To clarify, couples should engage in some PDA, just never when trapped inside of a high school.

I hate high school PDA. I find it gross and time wasting, but I never expected it to harm an innocent outfit. One day last semester, I walked with my usual group of friends and we quickly turned from one hallway to another. At the same moment, some couple quickly moved so they could “passionately”

make out. Unfortunately, both groups moved at the same time and my sweater got stuck on the boyfriend’s backpack. The couple didn’t notice that I was intruding on their “seven minutes in heaven.” After 30 long seconds of panic, I broke away and in doing so, ripped my sweater.

Nothing makes a student’s morning even worse than having to quickly move past a couple eating away at each other’s faces while teachers and peers awkwardly stare. Around Valentine’s Day, this walk to class becomes far more stomach churning as more couples acknowledge their newfound love for one another and actively engage in PDA. How much PDA at school is too much? The obvious answer should be that students who walk past a couple

crier

should not feel as if they are about to watch an intimate moment. Couples need to understand that, surprisingly, their significant other will still be there, even after the class hour.

Any person that has had a relationship can understand the level of excitement associated with seeing someone new, but this excitement should not be remedied by acting more than friendly with one another during school. Face it. Students and staff do not feel comfortable walking past a couple actively engaging in the more intimate parts of their relationship.

Instead of looking disgusting in the hallways, maybe couples could just hug or hold hands. Make the rest of the school feel less awkward, and instead, more comfortable.

•The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community.•Crier is a source of information, entertainment, advertising and opinion for the student body, faculty, administration and community •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the editorial page where opinion writing will be featured. All published material will stress accuracy, truthfulness, integrity, honesty, responsibility, objectivity, fairness and independence.

Opinions expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the School Town of Munster, faculty or administration.

Melissa Fronczek, sophomore

“I wear a cat shirt for finals, normally on my math day. It was really cheap, and it’s ridiculously ugly, but I feel like it brings me good luck.”

Anna Bilse, junior

“I always braided Jessica Flores’ ponytail before soccer games started; it just became lucky after a while.”

Cayla Bales, senior

Munster High School

Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321, phone 219-836-3200, Ext. 3443; Fax: 219-836-3202. Published by the Honors Newspaper Advanced Writing and Editing classes, and extra-curricular involvement.

“I don’t really believe in Friday the 13th.

If something bad happens, I don’t think it is dependent on the date.”

Letters to the Editor are welcomed, but should be limited to 250 words. All letters must be signed and should be given directly to any staff member or delivered to the Pub, N155, one week prior to publication. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors. Crier will accept letters from anyone, provided that the content pertains to school or school issues.

Mailed subscriptions cost $20 per year. Ad rates and policies are available to anyone upon request. Crier is published 14 times a school year.

The Staff Editor-in-Chief Vrusha Patel Managing Editor William Hatczel Copy Editor Meena Kandallu Opinion Editor Max Baker

“Every day I put on my left shoe first, otherwise I feel unlucky.”

Kaitlyn McHale, sophomore

“I have a neon yellow dino pencil that I use for tests or else I’ll do badly.”

Michelle Weller, junior

“No, I’m not superstitious. I’ve never let superstition run my day: I choose my own destiny.”

Mrs. Kathleen LaPorte, family and consumer science teacher

Sports Editors Erin Gallagher, Jordan Szymanski News Editor Danie Oberman Infocus Editors Mariah Villaroman, Chloe Wineinger Web Editor Elena Piech Cartoonist Amer Abasi Head Photographer Natalia Bilek Photographers Veronica Bilek, Rachel Bishop, Lauren Koultourides, Kasey Luehrs, Kyra Marriott, Ray Ojel Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman

4 news

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Poetry club brings their pieces to students Poetry club writes, presents original poetry around community to develop skills needed for poetry slam in April Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

At a recent club meeting, Poetry Club President Pharez Israel, senior, stood up in front of fifteen club members and showed them a painting. He then asked them Different styles to draw inspiration With unique styles, people from the painting and can write poetry in lengths write a poem about it. and rhythm This is not a foreign subject to club members Haiku: Three line poetry with a because these meetset number of syllables for each ings take place every line Wednesday from 3 p.m Narrative: Poem tells a story to 4 p.m., according to and contains characters, a Mrs. Kelly Barnes, Ensetting, and plot glish teacher and Poetry Club sponsor. At the Sonnet: Fourteen-line poems meetings, club memwritten in iambic pentameter bers have the chance to Songs: As long as they have share original poems. lyrics, songs are poetry set to In the coming weeks, music Poetry Club will begin preparing for their final Raps: Poems are set to rhythm slam in late April which and performed will take place in the Sources: Ms. Leigh Ann Westland, LGI. They will perform English teacher; Pearson Common locally to develop perCore Literature Grade 10 formance skills.

Pharez looks into the possibility of showcasing their work at Centennial Park, the Munster Public Library and Froyo.

“Practicing will give us a chance to get used to performing in front of a large crowd,” Pharez said. “It will also show us how much we project our voices.”

Allison Levin, senior and club secretary, looks forward to kicking off the practices for the final slam.

“Hearing other people’s poems is one of the most exciting parts,” Allison said.

“I think it will be rocky at first but get smoother as we keep perfecting our performances.”

The club’s fear of performing in front of large crowds poses their only obstacle, according to Pharez.

“A lot of people are terrified,” Pharez said, “but I don’t think you can ever get rid of all of your nerves; you can use those nerves as a positive on stage.”

Under all of the nerves, Pharez has confidence that the group will succeed in the upcoming performances.

“I’m pretty confident about the performances because we are such a creative group and we have a lot to share,” Pharez said.

Mrs. Barnes believes that Poetry Club is an overall positive experience for high school students.

“Having people hear ideas and having other people relate to those ideas is an important experience for students,” Mrs. Barnes said. “Having a common understanding among a group of people is healthy for young adults at this age.”

photo by Veronica Bilek

SPOKEN WORD Poetry Club President Pharez Israel, senior, speaks during a Poetry Club meeting. He enjoys writing and encourages other students to try it out. “I feel it’s nice for (students) to express themselves, and poetry is a great form to express what you want,” Pharez said.

New state bill changes accountability system for future Indiana House Bill 1486 focuses on changing school grading methods, education standards based on three main components Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor House Bill 1486 (HB 1486) aims to modify the A-F accountability system, a calculated formula that determines the grade of the school by evaluating the school’s performance, growth and multiple measures.

HB 1486 was voted on at a House Education Committee meeting Jan. 29.

“The new (A-F accountability) system is based on three components: performance, growth and multiple measure,” Mr. Mike Wells, principal, said.

“We won’t be under the new model until the 2015-16 school year, so that is

where we will see any changes.”

The first category, performance, accounts for 20 percent of the school’s final grade. In order to maintain high graduation rates, a new element has been proposed that will allow fifth year seniors to still be included in the rate of their original graduating year.

“There are some kids who don’t get enough credits in four years to graduate,” Mr. Wells said. “This (bill) allows the fifth year seniors to be added in.”

The second category, growth, incorporates the main focus of the bill, which is growth of students between grades nine and ten in the areas of English, language arts and math. This

category also accounts for 20 percent of the final grade. The school looks to improve on these specific areas, according to Mr. Wells.

“We would need to try and have students show a year’s worth of growth between grades nine and ten,” Mr. Wells said. “In February we are having teachers come in and give presentations on what their methods are on improving the weaknesses we identified from the PSAT.” Mr. Robert Snyder, assistant principal, Head of Guidance Department, remarks that although there are areas in which Munster’s academics can improve, any change will be most evident in the classroom.

“Schools are all going to have areas of weakness identified on tests like

that,” Mr. Snyder said. “There are categories that we can attempt to add emphasis toward. Mostly though, those would be small changes in the classroom.”

The final category, multiple measures, is the heaviest category at 60 percent of the final grade. The amount of students enrolled in AP and dual credit courses plays a role in the percentage calculated for the school’s grade.

Some students headed toward college have additional advantages if their high school maintains a high grade, according to Anna Riggs, junior.

“A good grade would allocate large amounts of funds for the school,” Anna said. “But, when we go to college, we, as students, will be able to deal with higher levels of learning.”

PurePower Hot Yoga 2645 Main Street Highland, IN 46322 219-924-1990 info@purepowerhotyoga.com www.purepowerhotyoga.com

Based on

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

5 infocus

biases

Muslim students share thoughts on religious intolerance, media’s portrayal of terrorism Meena Kandallu Copy Editor While fundraising for the speech team by selling Chicken Barbecue tickets door to door last September, Laila Nawab, junior, vividly recalls a man who opened the door, immediately glanced at her head scarf, or hijab, made the sign of the cross in front of her face, and hurriedly shut the door again, all without speaking a single word to her.

“People usually don’t do things like that to my face. Usually they don’t treat me any differently or sometimes people just stare at me,” Laila said. “At first, I didn’t know what to do. I was a little angry, but mostly I just didn’t know what to do. I’m a passive person, and I know that all he sees is the religion.”

Occurrences such as this are part of a growing wave of anti-Muslim sentiment that has gained media attention in the wake of the Jan. 7 Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, in which extremist Muslims attacked a French satirical publication.

In the aftermath of these attacks, angry citizens lashed out by attacking French mosques with guns and grenades, even though these mosques had no relation to the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

“All everyone sees in the media is that these

photo by Rachel Bishop

FACE TO FACE Sitting in Commons, juniors Vishva Maniar and Laila Nawab wait for the school day to start. When Laila encounters religious ignorance, she realizes the importance of choosing her words carefully. “You don’t want to give them the wrong idea of that religion,” Laila said. “When faced with a difficult question you don’t answer if (you’re) not sure about something. (You should say) ‘I’m not as knowledgeable as someone else.’”

groups are Muslim, but where is the good media?”

Laila said. “.1 percent of the these extremist groups are responsible for things like this and it doesn’t represent 100 percent of the religion.”

Not only does Laila object to a biased portrayal of Islam, but she also disagrees with the resulting stereotypes that it has projected onto the entire religion.

“I feel like I have to keep apologizing,” Laila said.

“These people say they’re part of the religion, but because of that, I’m looked at as not a good person and I have to keep saying, ‘No, I’m a good person.’”

Bilal Siddiqui, junior, considers the main cause of this unfounded prejudice a misunderstanding of Islam as a religion that is inherently violent.

“I think people’s ideas of Muslims (are) influenced by (events like the Charlie Hebdo attack) because they are uninformed,” Bilal said. “They don’t know the real truth. Islam is actually about peace and looking after your neighbors.”

Bilal believes that the only way to eliminate prejudice resulting from a lack of understanding is to eradicate the erroneous thinking itself. He hopes to achieve this by offering social media support to activists who speak out against religious intolerance and advocate peaceful protests against religious discrimination.

“I would just hope people would clear their misconceptions,” Bilal said. “Every person from the same religion isn’t the same.”

6 infocus

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Keeping

creativity alive Students discuss their interests in creating art on daily basis Mariah Villaroman Infocus Editor

W

ith his usual paint-streaked light blue jeans

on, Brandon Johnson, senior, smiles, remembering what first sparked his passion for art.

“I would say, what probably got me into art (was when) I would go to see my grandpa. He used to be a world class wood sculptor,” Brandon said. “I grew up watching him (sculpt wood) while he was still alive, and I started to grow an interest in the arts.”

One semester away from graduating high school, Brandon hopes to develop his art interest into a career and will attend the American Academy of Art in Chicago this upcoming fall with hopes of becoming a professional artist. There, Brandon plans to major in illustration, which includes learning how to create content for various media such as book covers or movie posters.

“I feel like (displaying art) is something you kind of have to come to grips with, especially if you want to become a professional artist,” Brandon said. “Your work is always going to be on display at that point, and you’re going to have to deal with people’s opinions.”

Brandon finds that pushing himself as an artist has made way for some of his greatest achievements and best memories.

“My grandpa started a sculpture of a Virgin Mary, but he never got around to completing it so I took it upon myself to finish the sculpture,” Brandon said.

“I decided I would give it to my grandmother for Christmas, and she just seemed so touched by it. She cried, and it just made me feel like I had done something; it meant something more than just making another drawing. It had real meaning behind it.”

Mrs. Linda Johnson, Brandon’s mother, supports her son both monetarily and emotionally in his decision to pursue art as a career.

photo by Natalia Bilek

SKETCH IT OUT Drawing in his notebook, Brandon Johnson, senior, practices art skills in Mrs. Elena Lopez’s Painting II class. Brandon draws inspiration for his artwork mainly from the fantasy and science fiction genres in novels and movies.

“Art, to me, is my way of expressing who I am and what I can be, but at the same time (I’m) always striving to push myself further and better myself through the experiences of creating art,” Brandon said.

“There’s always the monetary support that you ficult financial situations. Instead, Tatiana researches give your child, but my number one thing I’ve al- other areas of the arts that allow her to do what she ways said to my kids is that you should follow your loves while still paying the bills. passion,” Mrs. Johnson said. “No matter what you’re “I would love to base my life around art,” Tatiana doing in life, your passion is somesaid. “I know it is a really hard thing that you go back to. The art field Something old, something new division, and I won’t make a is kind of a hard thing to get into, but Student compares, contrasts two lot of money. It’ll be hard to we support Brandon 100 percent.” get noticed and make ends different methods of art available From Brandon’s chisel of a woodmeet; that’s why I am looking en Native American masthead to the Drawing with an iPad: for something in the world of Not limited by color simple stroke of a paintbrush in his arts and entertainment like

“Redo” button Painting II class, he always keeps in animation or set design for

Art program can crash mind how his love of creating artmovies and Broadway.” work first began.

Tatiana gathers inspiration Drawing on a sketchpad: “It’s strange because I never refrom the conglomerate ani Traditional feel ally knew (my grandpa) that much; mation company Disney. She No program malfunctions he died when I was around six, but I aspires to work for the com Mistakes are harder to fix grew up going up to his house every pany one day in the future. source: Tatiana Shinkan, junior couple of times a year, and it was one “I can see myself doing of those things where it almost subsomething for Disney, maybe liminally kind of became part of you,” Brandon said. as a cartoon artist,” Tatiana said. ”(Disney has) such “You felt almost like once you started to see that you a unique style, and I take little things from them and had a talent for something, it was your obligation to add it to my style.” carry on his legacy.”

Working for Disney or as an artist anywhere else will require planning, yet Tatiana knows the steps she will have to take to reach her goal.

Jordan Szymanski “I have to go to college first, then maybe comic Sports Editor conventions to showcase my work,” Tatiana said. “I rtists like Tatiana Shinkan, junior, incorporate need to keep practicing and eventually send Disney the new technology era into their arts by us- a portfolio and ask what they think of my work.”

Style allows artists to voice their creativity while ing graphic designs.

“I started the summer before fourth grade,” Tati- differentiating themselves from other artists, accordana said. “I was watching On Demand and noticed ing to Tatiana. Tatiana admits she has not quite perthey had an activity TV section. There was a tutorial fected her style yet but is proud of her progress.

“I would call my style complex with a cartoon of a guy drawing a dog and afterwards I tried copyfeel,” Tatiana said. “I put detail in the face, hair and ing him and I was like ‘Wow, this is really fun.’”

Tatiana has created designs for the Munster com- eyes so it looks realistic, but the rest of the body I munity, including the T-shirt for last year’s Win- draw to look cartoonish.”

Although she continues to find her style, art reter play, Speech and Debate’s logo and a mural at WWMS. Drawing also extends into Tatiana’s free mains therapeutic for Tatiana, and she uses it as a time as she draws inspiration from the art she finds source of pride.

“It’s something that makes me feel good about in her everyday life.

As much as art is a hobby for Tatiana, she would myself,” Tatiana said. “There aren’t many things I’m love to transform it into a lifetime career. She accepts really good at, so art is something I can have fun with that using technology to create art might create dif- and pass the time. It’s a very cool hobby to have.”

A

photo by Natalia Bilek

DOODLE SAVVY Sketching on her iPad in the choir room, Tatiana Shinkan, junior, realizes the importance of having a knowledge of art. “Without high school art, kids wouldn’t know Picasso or Van Gogh,” Tatiana said. “It’s important to teach kids about colors, realism and basic sculpture.”

7 infocus

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Under the UVs With Turnabout next weekend, students salon tanning rises; tanning risks, dangers explained Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

photo by Natalia Bilek

PERFECT GLOW Standing in a tanning booth, Jordan Cole, senior, stops for a quick tanning session at Beach Tan in Dyer after her basketball practice.

In preparation for Turnabout, Jordan goes tanning in order to look her best when wearing her dress. “They have stand up tanning booths so it’s apparently cleaner. I usually tan for ten to fifteen minutes, never more than twenty, and I go every three to four days,” Jordan said.

It is Wednesday night after Girls’ Basketball practice and the players are filing out of the locker room and into their cars. While most girls head home, Jordan Cole, senior, makes a quick stop at Beach Tan Express in Dyer in order to get the perfect tan for the upcoming Turnabout dance.

“I started tanning last winter for two reasons,” Jordan said. “One, for Turnabout so I wouldn’t look washed out and pale. And two, so I wouldn’t burn when I went to Mexico for Spring Break.”

Jordan stops tanning after the winter months because she does not feel the need to continue tanning after spring break. Erica Warner, senior, however, chooses to tan much more frequently.

“I usually tan three times a week,” Erica said,“and if I can, I try to go Saturday and Sunday as well.”

Erica began tanning in eighth grade after growing up watching her parents use tanning beds for several years.

“My dad was a bodybuilder so he always tanned for competitions and my mom just tanned frequently,” Erica said. “My dad always said that you look healthier and just overall better with tanned skin, so tanning is just kind of a family thing for us.”

Salons such as L.A. Tan and 85 Degrees in the Northwest Indiana area claim better health from Vitamin D in the bed’s rays despite evidence that indoor tanning can lead to skin cancer, according to Dr. Karen Jordan, dermatologist at Dermatology Associates. “(Tanning is) like smoking back in the 1950s,” Dr. Jordan said. “Everybody did it and then found out how bad it was for them. Tanning is this cultural phenomenon that will run its course, and in due time it will fade out.”

Using a tanning bed just six times in a person’s lifetime can increase the

possibilities of getting melanoma, a deadly type of skin cancer, by 75 percent, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

“I see teenagers with skin cancer all the time,” Dr. Jordan said. “Melanoma in young girls is at an all time high currently.”

Tanners like Erica are aware of the skin diseases one can contract from indoor tanning, but continue to tan.

“I want to look good now,” Erica said. “I’m not really worried about 50 years from now. Neither of my parents have had any skin issues either.”

Like Erica, Jordan is not fearful of developing skin cancer later on.

“I go so rarely that I don’t think Brought to light it will have much Different facts represent affect on my skin,” tanning throughout America Jordan said.

State legislature Dangers: Causes wrinkles and age spots. passed a law in Changes your skin texture. the state of Indiana last July that condi- Amount: tioned no one un 21% of high school girls tan. der the age of 16 is 32% of girls in the 12th grade tan. permitted to use a Outlawed: tanning bed.

Indoor tanning is banned for mi“I have people nors in California, Delaware, Hathat still tan even waii, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesowith cancer,” Dr. ta, Nevada, Texas and Vermont.

Jordan said. “But source: cdc.gov it’s only a matter of time before people realize that tanning beds are very harmful. Once that cultural shift happens, the use of tanning beds will decrease immensely.”

Society stands as culprit for the radical use of tanning beds by thousands of teens, and the change in society can stop this harmful activity, according to Dr. Jordan.

“You want to do what your peers are doing; you want to look like the others,” Dr. Jordan said. “Eventually, people will stop tanning because everyone will have moved on to something else.”

Cosmetology • Barber • Massage Therapy

Merrillville Campus, 8101 Polo Club Drive, Merrillville, IN 46410 (219) 736-9999 Open Tuesday-Saturday 9:00AM-4:30PM

Bring in this coupon for a FREE facial or shave with the purchase of a $6 haircut.

Now enrolling barber, cosmetology and massage therapy classes!

Add Us: Facebook • Google+ • Twitter • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube

successschoolsllc.com

Hand-dipped Chocolates . Homemade Ice Cream . Caramel Apples 36 US Hwy 41 (Main St. & Indianapolis) Schererville, IN 219.515.2027 3306 Ridge Road *Present Lansing, IL 60438 708.418.0062

Shop and Save with us Consign for cash Now accepting for Fall clothing and dance dresses. To Consign, we take by appointment only.

Call 219-227-0646

EST. CHICAGO 1920

*Offer excludes Gift Baskets & Gift Certificates. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.

this Coupon and receive 10% Discount (Offer Expires 11/01/15)

www.Gayetys.com

Now carrying Prom and Dance Dresses 425 U.S. Route 30, Dyer, IN www.ecochicboutique.us

8 spotlight

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Plummeting towards rock bottom

photo provided by Paramount Pictures

Hohman Floral Let our over 50 years of design experience create a beautiful bouquet for your dance! visit www.hohmanfloral.org Hammond

Munster

7048 Hohman Ave.

1902 45th Ave.

219.931.9221

219.924.7675

‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’s’ flimsy plot, conflicting animation, lazy writing leave audiences, fans disappointed in latest installment Max Baker Opinion Editor “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” creates a brilliantly colorful world that should not exist at all. From the opening sequence to the closing credits, this movie was a clear ploy to make even more money than the creators already have.

The writers managed to combine superheroes, magic and social commentary into a giant mess of crazy colors, CGI and high pitched character voices. This movie holds no merit on its own.

The hour and forty minute movie is nothing more than a lackadaisical plot combined with characters who act more like plot devices.

The most common example of this in the movie is a new character, a dolphin named Bubbles, voiced by Matt Berry. His sole purpose in the movie is to provide the heroes with the ability to breath on land.

“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” takes the lazy way out, choosing to ignore and omit any semblance of a deep plot and memorable characters.

This movie creates a villain, Burger-Beard, Antonio Banderas, who is simply evil for the sake of evil. Burger-Beard has little to no motivation for any of his actions in the film.

The plot involves Burger-Beard acquiring a magic book, which has the ability to create anything written in it, and using it to wreak havoc on both the surface and in Bikini Bottom.

During the first two acts, the audience watches as Burger-Beard steals the Krabby Patty secret formula. By doing so, the social structure of Bikini Bottom breaks down because neither SpongeBob nor Mr. Krabs can produce Krabby Patties for the masses. This leads the main SpongeBob cast to the surface in an effort to retrieve the recipe.

The original SpongeBob voice cast returns for this movie. However, this movie ignores the ten years of character development the show produced and instead re-

lies on tired stereotypes and clichés.

On the surface world, the SpongeBob characters take the form of awkwardly animated CGI puppets. While the first film took place on the surface as well, it used a traditional animation style, which blended naturally with the tone of the movie. This new animation style makes the characters seem out of place in their environment.

A car chase down the city streets, the cast transforming to cheap knock-offs of famous superheroes, and an useless cameo

by Guns ‘N Roses guitarist Slash comprise the entire third act.

It seems that the writers did not have a story or plotline in mind when creating this movie.

Throughout the movie’s run time, nearly every line of dialogue contains a joke aimed at the lowest common denominator or exposition.

The movie replaces the subtle adult humor and messages from the first movie with cheap laughs and an incohesive plot.

Everything about this movie seems superficial. The writing, characters and dialogue barely go beneath the surface. While this is a kids’ movie, that does not excuse the fact that it could benefit from intelligent writing and deep characters.

Kids’ movies are designed to expose young viewers to large and complex problems in a way they can easily understand.

They often carry a message for kids to digest and, when well done, leave a lasting impression on their young minds.

There is nothing meaningful about this movie nor does it carry a message other than “we need fast food to live,” as portrayed when Bikini Bottom turns into a post-apocalyptic wasteland without hamburgers.

The movie manages to insult not only children, but the adults and teenagers seeing the movie as well. This movie does not present itself as anything but a cash grab for the show’s writer and producers.

One dimensional characters, lazy writing, and a flimsy plot make up this train wreck of a sequel that no one should see.

FREDRIC D. YOUNG, M.D. Examination, Treatment & Surgery of the Eye —— Glasses & Contacts Telephone (219) 924-3700 Fax (219) 924-3712 Office Hours

By Appointment

Robert L. Young, M.D., Inc. 1646 45th Avenue Munster, IN 46321

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

9 spotlight

menu’s description of pastas, seafood, chicken and pizzas may be difficult to pronounce, the restaurant does not skimp on the ingredients, especially the amount of cheese.

Along with a great selection of main entrées, on the lighter side, Carrabba’s offers soup or salad along with a loaf of bread with oil.

Since the restaurant provides topnotch service and an environment classier than a typical pizza joint, patrons can expect to pay slightly more, but the small surcharge is worth the dining experience.

Tomato Bar

Food for thought

photos by Natalia Bilek and Veronica Bilek

Three new, vastly different restaurants opened in area, allowing hungry patrons chance to observe, devour everything from atmosphere to food to service staff Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor

Bagger Dave’s

HHHHH

Bagger Dave’s industrial-themed restaurant offers quality food and a fun environment for the whole family.

This is not the average, ‘50s themed diner-type burger joint. From the steel decor to the toy train traveling along the restaurant walls, Bagger Dave’s provides an entertaining atmosphere to enjoy a delicious meal.

The restaurant’s appealing elements attract an abundance of customers, which means it can be loud and quite busy. There seems to be plenty of room for seating, though there were always people waiting for a table. A few flat screens playing various sports also add to the commotion of the restaurant.

The service was quite friendly at first, but as the restaurant became crowded, it seemed to get less personal. The wait staff works with electronic notepads that are pre-programmed with all the menu items, so they can just make a few clicks and send the order to the kitchen. This idea seems

efficient compared to the usual method of writing down a customer’s order.

However, in my case it was not, since I ended up waiting a lot longer than anticipated. Luckily, the food exceeded my expectations. Not only was my sandwich large, but it came filled with fresh, flavorful ingredients that provided a meal I couldn’t wait to devour.

As well as the regular menu choices of gourmet sandwiches and burgers, each table comes equipped with cards that allow patrons to build their own burger or fries with checkboxes for toppings.

Although choosing to customize your order may be pricier, the finished product will fulfill your specific tastes.

Although Bagger Dave’s service lacked speed and prices were a bit higher, the scrumptious food, option to customize orders, and vibrant, lively interior make the experience worth many return trips.

Carrabbas

HHHHH

Carrabbas, located among the many shops and restaurants in Schererville, offers quality Italian cuisine for people of all ages. The dining area out-

Four Class Special $ 29 for 4 classes

Expires 4 weeks after first visit

Contact us at: allison@yogaon45th.com rose@yogaon45th.com www.yogaon45th.com 219-218-2378 • 219-189-0543

2008 45th Street Porte De L’eau Plaza Highland, In 46322

side provides ample seating during the warmer seasons. However, there is a noticeable lack of space indoors in comparison to the amount of people waiting for seats.

The sectioned-off floor plan indicates that the owners wanted to provide more privacy for each group of patrons. The hustle of service seems to be kept to a minimum and provides for a more relaxing, cozy atmosphere.

The friendly staff add to the at-home feel. The waiter treated us with great respect, even after sensing our insecurity in ordering at a more upscale establishment without the usual parental supervision.

There was also no pressure to make a quick decision, even though my company and I took our time deciding whether we should order dessert.

The service was very punctual, and there wasn’t a long wait for the food, even though on a busy Friday evening.

Our entrées were promptly delivered before we could even finish half of our salads.

The entrées, though delivered quickly, were of high quality, and generous in amount as well. Even though the

Imagine the ideal pizza restaurant. There is a positive, enthusiastic atmosphere. Clusters of people scattered throughout devour various Italian favorites, cheese strings still hanging from their mouths with each mouth-watering bite they take. There is casual conversation with trendy music filling any lull in the background.

The Tomato Bar in Schererville offers just this with a modern twist. Created after its sister location in Valparaiso experienced great success in 2012, this exciting pizza restaurant has numerous quirks to offer, such as vibrant ambiance, friendly service, a diverse menu, and a convenient location.

Upon entering Tomato Bar, the trendy decor immediately caught my eye. It has a very pleasing aesthetic and is not too overwhelming. When walking through the restaurant, one should be pleased at the perfectly dimmed lighting and the ample spacing between tables. The restaurant is loud but still allows for a comfortable conversation without having to raise one’s voice. The waiter assigned to our table was very respectful and made eye contact with all members of my party. Although the food may seem a little pricey when customers first view the menu, the portions are large and the quality is above average.

Another plus is the variety of items offered on the menu. Not only does Tomato Bar offer make-your-own pizzas, salads and/or calzones, but it also has a satisfying range of sandwiches and appetizers along with gluten-free options.

Overall, Tomato Bar upholds the many positive values a restaurant should have: a great aesthetic, great service, and of course, great food.

DRIVERS EDUCATION !!

It’s too important not to go with the BEST!!

HHHHH

Certified Driving School

10 sports

Crier/Feb 13, 2015

It’s a boy, girl thing

Veteran soccer players, novice players participate in co-ed indoor soccer league in off-season winter months Danie Oberman News Editor On Tuesday evenings during the winter, Dyer Indoor Soccer offers male and female athletes the unique opportunity of playing side by side. Dan Green, senior, whose team is called the Las Vegas Crabs, enjoys playing co-ed.

“The girls are the best players on the team, so we can’t have any bad feelings about that,” Green said. “Just because they’re a girl doesn’t mean they can’t play well.”

Jessica Flores, senior, doesn’t see much difference in playing with boys compared to playing one her, all-girl soccer team.

“They don’t really back down or anything; they know they can compete with us,” Flores said.

The girls do not seem to have trouble competing with the male players, according to Sean Pruzin, senior.

“It’s kind of enjoyable to watch one of the girls on our team destroy one of the overconfident guys on the other team. That’s always a good sight,” Pruzin said.

The league also offers players another unique opportunity: including players who don’t participate in soccer elsewhere. The less experienced

players add character to the Las Vegas Crabs, according to Cayla Bales, senior. “(I like) playing with kids who haven’t played before and kind of giving them the chance to see the sport and score some goals and see what it’s like to play,” Bales said.

Playing on a team together serves as a different way for friends to get to know each other, according to Pruzin.

“It’s a way of getting them involved with a different part of our lives,” Pruzin said.

Although the newer players might not be as skilled as veteran players, Green still enjoys seeing all the sides of his teammates.

“You really realize how people have different talents, and that’s a good thing,” Green said.

Green’s teammates are his favorite part, especially the ones he does not get to play with during the regular season.

“I like playing on this team because of the people on it. They’re not the normal people we play soccer with because they don’t play soccer,” Green said. “For example, Rohan (Chatterjee, senior) and Sripad (Kodukula, senior) and all these people who don’t really play soccer,—this gives them an opportunity to play soccer with us.”

photo by Veronica Bilek

FULL ATTACK During an indoor soccer game, Jessica Flores, senior, dribbles down the field in an attempt to score a goal for her co-ed league team, the Las Vegas Crabs. Flores plays indoor soccer for the fun of it. “When you get older, soccer gets more and more competitive,” Flores said. “But by playing co-ed soccer, I’ve been able to gain that fun aspect back that I found when I first started playing.”

Yes, she can... and she should Sports column

Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor

“She is pretty good... for a girl.”

The perpetual battle for female athletes is the prompting to prove themselves athletically. The pressures come from all areas of the athletic world: fans, critics, coaches, scouts and even their fellow male athletes. Female athletes should not have to work twice as hard as males to be taken seriously, especially when their performances speak for themselves.

Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star, Tamika Catchings, would rarely be brought up in a barroom discussion about the best

basketball players of all time. However, much like Lebron James, she was a contender in nearly every aspect of the game early on in her career. While still in high school, Catchings had the only quintuple-double in basketball history: 25 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals, 10 blocks.

WNBA stars are not the only athletes overshadowed by their male counterparts.

Jennie Finch, professional softball player, two time olympic medalist, strived her entire career to be taken seriously as an athlete. After leading her team to several national championships, Finch ended her pitching career in 2010, but not before securing a spot as one of the greatest and most famous softball players to date.

Female athletes prove they are as athletically inclined as male athletes,

yet men’s athletics still takes precedence over women’s. It can be easy to dismiss women’s athletics as less interesting than men’s athletics because of the noticeable and scientifically proven differences in men’s and women’s body types. However, just because male athletes have advantages like strength does not discount the fact that female athletes do have the same ability to perform.

Female athletes have proven that when the theoretical playing fields are leveled, a female athlete and a male athlete have equal opportunity to perform, given the set of circumstances they are under. With this being said, they should have equal opportunity to benefit and thrive from their athletic performances.

This, sadly, is not the case. Male college athletes still receive 36 percent

more scholarship dollars than female college athletes at NCAA institutions.

Large companies like Nike have provided countless athletes with million dollar endorsement deals throughout the years. In all of its history, Maria Sharapova is the only female athlete to crack the list of top ten highest endorsed athletes.

These institutions and companies are only responding to the way the world of athletics perceives female athletes. The economics support male athletes over women, and it has nothing to do with ability. Women have time and time again proved that their place in the world of athletics is seated next to the men, not behind them. It should not be taking this long for the world of athletics to take notice.

So yes, she is pretty good. We heard her loud and clear. When will you?

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

photo by Ray Ojel

ON CALL As an alternate at the state meet this weekend, Bella Blackford, freshman, has to stay on top of her game at all times. “You normally get a little forewarning but if I just have to jump in the water, I’ll do my best,” Blackford said.

Defying the odds Girls’ Swimming heads to State after defeating Crown Point at Sectionals Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor As the Girls’ Swimming and Diving season wraps up, the team prepares for State this weekend.

The girls have a positive outlook for the State competition from placing first and beating Crown Point, according to Maggie Vaitkus, sophomore.

“Sectionals was amazing,” Vaitkus

said. “Munster surprised a lot of people, ourselves included, and won. We were looked at as the underdogs, but we managed to come out on top.”

One of the main things that pushed the team further in Sectionals was supporting their teammates and enabling them to qualify for state in each event, according to Vaitkus.

“We were all truly acting like a team,” Vaitkus said. “It was like every

11 sports

race wasn’t just for one person, but for the whole team. I would love to see that kind of positivity this weekend.”

By being mentally focused at Sectionals, Vaitkus, along with other teammates were able to qualify for preliminary and state events. “(By) controlling my thoughts before my race and believing that I am capable of being my best pushes me forward,” Vaitkus said. “I really focused on the mental aspect of the sport and that pushed me to a new level.”

By slowly reducing the amount the team practices, they have an improved ability of a more relaxed nervous system to control and coordinate better rested muscles at faster swimming speeds.

“We’re getting near the end of the season, so we’re getting more rested,” Audrey Mayer, senior, said. “With what we’ve put in for the season, our progress really starts to show.”

Upon reviewing the year, the swim team has made many advancements by practicing various events, according to Mayer.

“We’ve gotten a lot of personal and seasonal bests,” Mayer said. “It helps during the season just putting in the work and swimming in different events. Doing events you don’t usually do during the season helps drop times.”

The team’s vast improvement can be attributed to the specific training routines during practice, which help hone the small details of swimming, according to Coach Mathew Pavlovich, P.E. teacher.

“We practice different things, and we’re getting types of training in for different events that they need to do.

By doing that, we can focus and give

them nice, detailed practices. It makes the overall team better because we can improve where we need to improve on,” Coach Pavlovich said.

What really helped advance the girls’ overall win was in partly by the diving team, who placed third, fourth, and sixth at Sectionals. Their high performance can be attributed to advice a from their coach, Bill Checko, about diving form, which plays big factor in the judges’ scores, Kaitlyn McHale, sophomore.

“We have a really good coach. He came (to Munster) last year, but he’s been coaching for 35 years. He’s well experienced and has helped us tremendously,” McHale said. “He has a form of coaching that’s very technical. A lot of what he tells us has to do with form.

Paying attention to details like that has helped us a lot.”

Another part of why they performed so well was because of the competitive meets they participated in.

“We do well at more competitive meets,” McHale said. “When it’s loud and people are cheering, especially with swimmers when they compete, if (the swimmers) are neck and neck with each other, it makes them want to do better in the race.”

Overall, the whole team has a positive outlook for competing at the state level considering the perseverance they have shown throughout the season, according to Coach Pavlovich.

“Working with the girls is always positive. Most girls are pretty mature, and these girls have been swimming for a long time and have set goals for themselves,” Coach Pavlovich said.

“They want to improve and take ownership for their swimming while enjoying the season and working hard.”

strain, to refresh the team.

“When you get to tapering and you have all that rest, you have the energy to do better,” Niaves said.

With the season ending, Jack Wulf, sophomore, enjoys watching the hard work pay off.

“At the end of the season it’s a lot of fun to see everyone going their best times,” Wulf said.

The team stands a good chance of winning Sectionals and is looking forward to the meet, according to Niaves.

“We’re all very excited for it,” Niaves said. “Of course there are nerves associated with it all, but mostly we’re just really pumped to get in it and do really well.”

FREESTYLE At practice, Steven Nowaczyk, junior, swims in preparation for the Sectional competition this weekend. Nowaczyk, along with the rest of the team, has put in hours of hard work this season.

Seahorses splash into Sectionals Boys’ Swimming heads into Sectionals with high hopes of impact at State Danie Oberman News Editor Boys’ Swimming will advance to Sectionals next Thursday after completing a successful regular season.

The team exceeded many expectations, according to Vinny Niaves, sophomore.

“It’s really cool because not a lot of Munster teams have had that opportunity (to make it through the majority of the season undefeated),” Niaves said.

Unfortunately, the team lost against

Chesterton in their final meet of the regular season.

“If anything, they were a really good competition, and I’m glad that if we lost to anyone, it was them,” Collin Sroge, senior, said.

The team began the post-season by winning the North Central Conference, and will continue to Sectionals next Thursday where they aim to take home their 30th consecutive title.

To prepare for the meet, the team has been focusing on tapering, meaning running practices with less physical

photo by Ray Ojel

12 sports

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

12 sports

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015

Power forward

Point Guard

Small forward

Center Nikola Mandic, senior

Height: 6’6” Points per game: 13.0 Rebounds per game: 5.6

Luke Hackett, junior

Kevin Schlotman, senior

Height: 6’2” Points per game: 5.2 Rebounds per game: 2.6 Assists per game: 1.5

Height: 6’2” Points per game: 8.0 Rebounds per game: 3.0 Assists per game: 2.5

Adam Ostoich, senior

Height: 6’3” Points per game: 8.5 Rebounds per game: 5.7 Assists per game: 3.8

Jack Mullen, junior

Height: 6’4” Points per game: 4.8 Rebounds per game: 1.3 Assists per game: 0.9

Jacob Weber, junior

Height: 6’5” Points per game: 4.9 Rebounds per game: 1.2

Niles Dilosa, junior

Rhyss Lewis, junior

Height: 6’2” Points per game: 8.3 Rebounds per game: 1.0 Assists per game: 1.4

Height: 6’2” Points per game: 14.6 Rebounds per game: 0.8 Assists per game: 3.1

Shooting Guard Chris Palombizio, senior

Drew Hackett, senior

Height: 6’6 Points per game: 24.1 Rebounds per game: 2.1 Assists per game: 3.2

Height: 6’2 Points per game: 18.3 Rebounds per game: 4.0 Assists per game: 2.2

Sizing up the competition

Boys’ basketball competes against Chesterton Tuesday night Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor

B

Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

oys’ Basketball faces off with Chesterton next Tuesday at the Trojan’s home court. The match up extends off the pages as Chesterton’s players size up their opponents. Chesterton’s small forward, Niles Dilosa, junior, examines the team’s ultimate goal for the upcoming game against Munster.

“Our main focus as a team will be to contain Hackett,” Dilosa said.

Munster’s shooting guard, Drew Hackett, senior, shoots 83 percent from the line and has been Munster’s starting shooting guard for the last two years.

Chesterton’s shooting guard, Chris Palombizio, senior, feels Hackett is Munster’s biggest threat.

“Drew Hackett is our biggest threat on Munster’s team,” Palombizio said. ”He is very good at handling the ball and can shoot very well.”

Inside the lane, Chesterton’s center, Jacob Weber, junior, says his talents are his ability to get to the rim and his court positioning.

But Munster’s center, Nikola Mandic, senior, plans

to contain Weber in the paint next Tuesday.

“I’ll handle (Weber) by walling up in front of him and making sure he doesn’t get the ball easily,” Mandic said. “I’ll have to move my feet quickly around the post to get in front of him and get my hands up when he shoots.”

Last year, Chesterton lost to Munster 65-59. This year, both teams seem evenly matched in the record books and Weber hopes that will translate into an exhilarating game.

“I think that the Munster game will be a good one,” Weber said. “I believe that it will be one of those games that goes down to the last quarter.”

The main focus of Munster’s head coach Mike Hackett, health teacher, is consistency.

“The Chesterton game is just about trying to develop some consistent play,” Coach Hackett said.

“Consistently rebounding, consistently play good defense, consistently not turning the ball over.”

All in all, the boys plan on treating Chesterton as any other team, according to Hackett.

“We are going to approach this game like any other game we have,” Hackett said. “We will have

good, intense practices leading up to the game and see what happens.”

Underneath all the sweat and hard work, the boys continue to manage their emotions on the court. One example of this was the Feb. 6 game against Conference rival, Griffith, according to Coach Hackett.

“If you saw our game versus Griffith, towards the end the Griffith team was doing a little taunting towards us, and I thought our players handled it really well,” Coach Hackett said.

Munster’s small forward, Adam Ostoich, senior, tries not to get caught up in the hype.

“I understand that at the end of the day, it’s just a game,” Ostoich said. “It should be something fun that’s not taken too seriously.”

Coach Hackett has faith that the boys will maintain composure on the court. Sportsmanship is key, according to Coach Hackett.

“It’s really easy to get into a pushing-shoving match or a talking match,” Coach Hackett said. “But that’s not what we are there to do, we’re there to play our best basketball and try to win the game.”

12 sports

Crier/Feb. 13, 2015